You, the mountain and lots of snow

Silver Star Is well off the tourist radar despite its champagne powder and an astonishing variety of trails

Ski resorts in the Kelowna area - Big White and Silver Star - are challenging enough to suppport winter tourism.

Photograph by: Handout photo
, Handout Photo

The search for the perfect run had led us to the "dark side" of Silver Star, where more than a dozen double-black diamond trails dropped precipitously below us.

I had signed up with the ski school for a guided tour of the steep stuff - the chutes, headwalls and gulleys that hold some of the sweetest snow on the mountain near Vernon, B.C.

As it happened, I was the only paying customer on this crisp, bright morning. My guide, Roger, a personable young instructor from Ontario, was as enthusiastic as I was about meeting the mountain's challenges.

The slope was so steep it caught my breath. The snow, heaped into large, soft moguls, was gentle and forgiving, but I had trouble maintaining a smooth rhythm as I made my way down the narrow pitch.

"Don't let it push you around," Roger shouted, advising me to straighten up in the fall line and reach out wide with my poles to accentuate the "comma position" that makes turning easier.

By the time my three-hour tour was over, I had eight runs under my belt, and my knees felt as if they'd been through a car wash.

With exhilaration and exhaustion overtaking me, it was time to head for the mid-mountain village to refuel with a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup and chunk of sourdough bread.

Such are the pleasures on offer at Silver Star Mountain Resort, one of those B.C. ski resorts that seem to fly under the radar next to more celebrated venues like Whistler and Blackcomb.

Located in the Okanagan Valley, 22 kilometres northeast of Vernon, Silver Star boasts an annual average snowfall of 700 centimetres and an agreeable winter climate where daytime temperatures hover around -3 degrees C.

That makes for light, champagne powder and a snowpack of remarkably consistent quality.

With a top elevation of 1,915 metres, it's far from the highest ski peak in British Columbia, nor is the 760-metre vertical drop out of the ordinary.

But the range and variety of terrain is astonishing: a skiable area of 1,240 hectares and 117 marked trails, including one intermediate run, Eldorado, that follows ridge lines for eight kilometres. Four distinct areas are served by lifts.

The mountain, the site of an old silver mine, was classified as a provincial park in the 1950s when the first rope towns and poma lifts were installed. It's now owned by Australian investors, who have pumped more than $10 million into lift improvements.

Hop on the lifts for your first run and you're likely to be greeted with a cheerful "goo'dye" from one of the many young Aussies working on the mountain.

Colourful Victorian-style homes dotting the surrounding slopes are reminders of the mining bygone era. Now, many of them are priced at over $1 million.

But this is not a jet-setters' kind of place. It's laid-back, fun and rarely crowded.

From the top of the lift, breathtaking views of Lake Okanagan and the Monashee Mountain Range can be had, making this a worthy destination for visitors from around the world.

If Silver Star has yet to be discovered by the mass market, it's because of a relative lack of slopeside accommodation (although it does boast about 4,500 beds).

The mountain's owners hope to improve on that with plans for real estate development, hotel and condo construction. Until then, you can enjoy the mountain on your own terms.

Putnam Creek boasts most of the challenge for experts, including a score of black diamonds, glades and a backcountry area that is not patrolled.

The area also offers a fine network of cross-country trails, at both Silver Star and the neighbouring Sovereign Lake Centre. Between the two, skiers have access to more than 100 kilometres of groomed and tracked Nordic trails.

Snow starts falling in October, making this a favoured destination for many national cross-country teams looking for early season training.

And with a mid-mountain village providing convenient access to hotels, condos, restaurants and shops, Silver Star is easy to like.

IF YOU GO

GETTING THERE.

Silver Star is served by Kelowna International Airport, about an hour's drive from the mountain. Regularly scheduled service is provided by Air Canada, Jazz and Westjet. Tour operators such as SkiCan and Merit Travel offer packages that include airfare, accommodation and lift tickets.

WHERE TO STAY.

Accommodation can also be booked through Silver Star Holidays, the on-mountain reservation centre. Visit them online at www.skisilverstar.com or call 800-663-4431.

Village hotels offer an assortment of rooms from standard size to four-bedroom suites. Choose from among the recently built Snowbird Lodge, Silver Star Club Resort, Lord Aberdeen Apartment Hotel, Silver Lode Inn and Pinnacles Suite Hotel.